Zenless Zone Zero: A Dive into Hoyoverse's Latest RPG Adventure

Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) marks the latest installment in Hoyoverse’s celebrated line of mobile RPGs. While its aesthetic is a refreshing departure from the developer’s previous titles, the core systems and mechanics will feel comfortably familiar to fans of Honkai Impact 3rd, Genshin Impact, and Honkai: Star Rail. Whether you’re a seasoned Hoyoverse player or a newbie diving into your first gacha mobile game, here’s what you need to know before jumping into ZZZ.

Embrace the Gacha Life

Yes, Zenless Zone Zero is a gacha game. This means that unlocking powerful characters and weapons requires spending hard-earned or purchased premium currency for a chance to obtain your desired assets. Much like other Hoyoverse games, the free, lower-rarity characters are sufficient to progress through the story, and over time, you’ll accumulate an array of higher-rarity characters. However, it’s essential to temper expectations; don’t anticipate acquiring every character easily.

The Familiar Gameplay Loop

While ZZZ’s story, combat, and puzzles offer a unique experience, the gameplay loop will resonate with anyone familiar with mobile character-building RPGs. You'll collect characters (agents) and weapons (W-engines) through the gacha system, using stamina (battery charge) to farm materials needed to power up these characters. Eventually, you’ll collect sub-equips (drive discs) for each character, which provide unique passive abilities and randomized stats.

Despite a few unique minigames and specific game modes that set ZZZ apart, the core gameplay involves completing daily tasks to build and enhance your characters, much like in Hoyoverse’s other titles.

Don’t Overlook the Noodle House and Coffee Shop

In ZZZ, the noodle house and coffee shop aren’t just decorative elements; they offer valuable buffs in exchange for in-game currency. Additionally, ordering a cup of coffee provides 60 battery charge per day, allowing for more farming of essential materials.

Maximize Your Battery Charge

After starting the story, you’ll unlock the HIA Club, where you can farm materials for your characters. It’s crucial to start using your battery charge immediately, as it caps at 240, and any excess gets wasted. Spending it on farming materials ensures you’re not missing out on this valuable resource. Completing these levels also rewards you with EXP, necessary for progressing through the game.

Test Before You Invest

ZZZ features a VR device in front of the Hollow Deep Dive System, allowing you to test different agents in the Agent Academy. This feature is incredibly useful not only for the rewards but also to determine which characters’ kits you prefer before investing resources into building them. Early in the game, resources are limited, so testing characters helps make informed decisions on which ones to develop.

Toggle Agent Trial Mode

During certain story segments, ZZZ requires you to play as specific characters relevant to the plot. If you prefer to use your own characters, you can toggle off this feature in the bottom-left corner of the character select screen.

Spend Polychrome Wisely

Polychrome, the premium currency in ZZZ, is best used to purchase Encrypted Master Tape for rolling on event banners, rather than the standard gacha banner. Event banner characters are available for a limited time and often return in later updates. Using Polychrome on these banners maximizes your chances of obtaining exclusive characters, while the standard characters can still be acquired from event banners.

Master Dodging and Countering

Early enemies in ZZZ are straightforward to defeat with button mashing. However, as you progress, enemies become tougher, necessitating the use of dodging and countering. Timing your dodges to parry and counter enemy attacks becomes crucial. Developing these skills early on, even when it feels unnecessary, will prepare you for more challenging battles.

Time of Day Mechanics

Some side quests in ZZZ are only available at specific times of the day. While this might seem like a stress point, there’s no penalty for taking extra days to complete quests. You can rest on the sofa to pass the time and access desired quests, allowing you to progress at your own pace.

Final Thoughts

Zenless Zone Zero continues Hoyoverse’s tradition of delivering engaging, visually stunning mobile RPGs. While the game introduces some new mechanics and aesthetic shifts, its core gameplay loop and gacha system will be familiar to fans of the developer’s previous titles. By understanding and leveraging the game’s systems—whether it’s maximizing battery charge, wisely spending Polychrome, or mastering combat mechanics—players can enjoy a rich, immersive experience in the world of ZZZ.

So, whether you’re a seasoned veteran of Hoyoverse games or a newcomer eager to explore a vibrant new world, Zenless Zone Zero offers a compelling adventure that’s well worth diving into.